1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which an information signal is recorded (written) on and/or reproduced (read) from a disk-shaped recording medium such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk. In particular, the present invention relates to a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a clamp member fixing a disk-shaped recording medium to a disk mounting part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, disk recording and/or reproducing apparatuses in which an information signal is recorded on and/or reproduced from a disk-shaped recording medium such as an optical disk (OD) such as a CD or DVD, or a magneto-optical disk (MO) have been provided as apparatuses for storing a large amount of information.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-334499 discloses an example of such a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-334499 discloses a slot-in disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a disk entrance through which a disk-shaped recording medium enters and exits. The disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-334499 (hereinafter referred to as “first related art example”) is as follows. Specifically, the apparatus includes an enclosure having a disk entrance; a gate member provided to cover the disk entrance; and a disk moving mechanism moving a disk-shaped recording medium to pass through the disk entrance. The gate member has a gate cover having a cut edge through which a disk-shaped recording medium passes; and a resistance modifying device modifying resistance on a periphery of the cut edge. The gate member is formed of a fabric member such as a fabric, a synthetic resin sheet, etc., and is constructed such that the gate cover rotates around a slit when a disk-shaped recording medium is inserted into the disk entrance.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-302425 discloses another example of a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-302425 discloses a disk clamp mechanism which may be used for both a read-only (non-recordable) disk and a read/write (recordable) disk, and a disk drive device including the same. The disk drive device according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-302425 (hereinafter referred to as “second related art example”) is as follows. Specifically, the device includes a clamp arm rotated around a fulcrum and between a clamp position and a clamp release position. The device also includes a damper which is maintained with a clearance at the top of the clamp arm and is rotated to the clamp position to press a disk against a turntable, and is rotated to the clamp release position to release pressing of the disk against the turntable. A top bent part bent toward the turntable is formed at the top of the clamp arm, where a bending point of the top bent part bent relative to the clamp arm is deviated from the center of gravity of the damper toward the fulcrum by a predetermined dimension.
However, in the aforementioned first and second related art examples, a lever rotatably supports a clamp member, and the lever is vertically rotated to change an inclination angle, so that the clamp member is pressed against a disk mounted on a disk mounting part. In this type, since the lever is moved in a wide range, a large space is needed to ensure its movement and the whole apparatus is increased in size, disadvantageously. Moreover, a pressing force of the clamp member against the disk mounting part is generally based on an attraction force generated between a magnet and an iron piece incorporated in these members. Therefore, the lever may need a strength enough to withstand a force to strip the clamp member from the disk mounting part against a pressing force of the magnet when the disk is ejected. As a result, the lever may need to be prepared, with a sufficient strength ensured, using a material having a certain strength, and is therefore limited in terms of the usable material and size, disadvantageously.
In another related art example, a lever rotatably supporting a clamp member is moved along a circumference of a disk, so that the clamp member is pressed against the disk mounted on a disk mounting part. However, in this type, a holding member holding the clamp member has an inclined surface, and the clamp member is pressed upward from both sides to release a pressing force of the clamp member. Therefore, a space for moving the holding member is needed, and furthermore a space to connect the members to each other is widened, making the structure complicated, disadvantageously. Moreover, since the clamp member is supported only by both edges of the holding member, an attitude of the clamp member is unstable, disadvantageously. In this regard, although the clamp member may be supported by many points of the holding member, the number of components is increased in order to support the clamp member by many points, making the structure complicated, disadvantageously.